Baked penne with mushrooms and ham

Name: Baked penne with mushrooms and ham
Ingredients: 500 g penne; 1500 ml water; 1 teaspoon salt for the cooking water; 15 ml olive oil; 1 spring onion (30 g); 200 g smoked ham; 1 teaspoon Delikat-style seasoning; 1/2 teaspoon salt for the sauce; 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper; 250 g mushrooms; 1 medium tomato (120 g); 200 ml cream; 1 basil leaf; 150 g grated cheese; 40 g Parmesan; 10 g dill

Pasta/Pizza - Baked penne with mushrooms and ham by Violeta E. - Recipia

For baked penne with mushrooms and ham, the pasta is boiled briefly before baking so it stays firm under the sauce. The tomato and cream sauce settles between the penne, while the cheese, Parmesan and dill make a golden layer on top, with pieces of mushroom and ham scattered through the dish. I serve them straight from the dish while the cheese layer is still hot. Preparation: 20 minutes. Cooking: 43 minutes. Total time: 63 minutes. Serves: 4. Approximately 860 kcal and 42 g of protein per serving.

Ingredients

500 g penne
1500 ml water
1 teaspoon salt for the cooking water
15 ml olive oil
1 spring onion (30 g)
200 g smoked ham
1 teaspoon Delikat-style seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt for the sauce
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
250 g mushrooms
1 medium tomato (120 g)
200 ml cream
1 basil leaf
150 g grated cheese
40 g Parmesan
10 g dill

Preparation

1. Bring 1500 ml water and 1 teaspoon salt to a boil. Add the penne and cook for 9 minutes. 2. Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the chopped spring onion for 3 minutes, until softened. Add the diced ham and cook for another 3 minutes with the seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the pepper. 3. Add the sliced mushrooms to the same pan and cook for 8 minutes, until softened and reduced in volume. 4. Add the diced tomato and cook for 3 minutes. Pour in the cream, add the finely chopped basil leaf and let the sauce simmer gently for 2 minutes. 5. Drain the penne and rinse them under cold water. 6. Mix the grated cheese, grated Parmesan and chopped dill in a bowl. 7. Toss the penne with the sauce, transfer them to an ovenproof dish and sprinkle the cheese and dill mixture over the top. Bake at 200°C for 15 minutes, until the top is golden.

Notes

Serve them with a green salad, which adds something fresh and crunchy alongside the creamy sauce. For a version without ham, you can use 200 g cooked chicken breast, pulled into strips; the penne contain gluten, and the cream and cheeses contain dairy. You can replace the cheese with the same amount of mozzarella, but the crust will be more stretchy than browned. Small mushrooms can be left whole, while large ones should be quartered. Smoked ham varies in saltiness, so taste the sauce before adding all the salt. If the tomato is very juicy, remove the seedy part before dicing it. I time the baking for just before the meal; like a pasta bake, the dish sets as it sits, but the sauce stays creamier while it’s warm. Leftovers keep covered in the fridge for up to 3 days and should be reheated until hot in the centre.